Green-fingered enthusiasts and budding gardeners will already know the benefits of composting at home, and during Compost Awareness Week (5-11 May), Belfast City Council is helping to spread the message.

Since the council extended its food waste collection service, it has redirected an additional 13,500 tonnes of food waste away from landfill, not only saving the council and ratepayers money, but the compost has been used as a 'soil improver' at some of the country's top golf courses.

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According to statistics released by the DoE last month, an increase in composting across Northern Ireland has contributed to reduced landfill tonnages, with the lowest autumn figures for landfill waste being recorded last year.

And this week, Belfast residents are being invited to pop down to their nearest recycling centre and pick up a free bag of compost, which has been made from food and garden waste collected across the city.

George Lyttle, Waste Manager with Belfast City Council, said: "Compost Awareness Week promotes the benefits of composting food and garden waste, rather than throwing it in your black bin. It's vitally important for councils to divert as much compostable and recyclable materials away from landfill as possible. Not only is this better for the environment, it helps to save the ratepayer money, and composting means turning waste into valuable, rich plant food."

(CD/MH)